


Home For Christmas

by daintylemonsquare



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 04:17:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3636405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daintylemonsquare/pseuds/daintylemonsquare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha and Clint makes plans for Christmas and it's all great until Clint stops sending his letters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home For Christmas

March 10

_Clint,_

_I’m currently in the Alps, for reasons I can’t explicitly say in this letter. But you know that thing with the guy with the girl and the other girl? That’s happening and I’m going try and stop it by taking out girl number two. I hope Egypt is agreeing with you. It is freezing here and I neglected to bring an extra, extra jacket._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

March 23

_Natasha,_

_I’m glad to feel the aftershocks of your success all the way in Australia. (No longer in Egypt, at the moment, sorry we couldn’t meet there at the Sphinx like last time, I was really looking forward to that, hopefully you’re not waiting there for me when you get this.) Egypt was hot, as usual. Sorry if my handwriting is starting to look like ancient Greek, I’m in a sort of tight situation and it was the only breather I could get here. All’s well, nothing to worry about._

_The paper might look singed but there is nothing to worry about. I’ll try to see you at London for your birthday. Same place._

_Always,_

_Clint_

+

April 12

_Natasha,_

_I saw you yesterday walking across the beach. I couldn’t say hi since it would compromise my position. You were beautiful by the way. Were you talking a break? Or were you on the job? The beauty part is that I couldn’t tell. I wish I could’ve run over and picked you up and thrown you into the beach. I miss you._

_Always,_

_Clint_

+

April 15

_Clint,_

_I’m stuck with Tony and Pepper again for this assignment. I was already disgusted with their presence not five hours after my arrival. Tony said we’re just as worse so I put him in a painful, painful hold. We’re not THAT bad, right? We’re just a normal, assassin couple, who, by the way, haven’t seen each other in a month. But that’s if you count that sort of meeting at the airport in France. If you don’t, we haven’t seen each other in three months._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

April 20

_Clint,_

_I saw you on that roof at the beach, just so we’re clear. And I WAS taking a break! That day you saw me was when I just got out of a horrible submarine mission. Deep sea does bad things to me, you know that. Should I still be expecting you on my birthday?_

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

May 10

_Clint,_

_I hope you’re okay. It’s alright if you missed my birthday but business is business. People need killing. I hope Philippines is a better place because of you because I swear if it didn’t, I’m going to kill that person twice. It just wasn’t the same without you, Clint._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

May 21

_Natasha,_

_Sorry about missing your birthday again! I sent you a gift from Japan. Actually, I sent it to Tony because I don’t know where you are right now. It’ll explode if he looks into it, trust me. Now that I think about it, he might disable the bomb a second before it explodes so I’m sorry about that one too. I’m on the air as I write this letter, moving to Russia. Last I heard you’re going there too. Crossing my fingers._

_Always,_

_Clint_

+

June 1

_Natasha,_

_The plans for Christmas are a go! I cleared it all off and it seems like I haven’t got anything really scheduled until February so I’m staying home for a while. There’s something going on in the Arctic Circle and I brought extra, extra jackets! Be safe in Hawaii._

_Always,_

_Clint_

+

June 8

_Clint,_

_I’ll see you at Christmas._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

June 15

_Clint,_

_So sorry the last letter was so short. I was in the middle of an interrogation. You’ll never guess what I had to do just to write you that note. Here’s a hint: it’s a little sexual but not a whole lot sexual. I think you know what I’m talking about here. No, actually, you’ll never guess. That’s a dare, Agent Barton._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

June 20

_Natasha,_

_I’m going to intercept you and tackle you to the ground, Agent Romanov. You know I never take dares lightly. Message received._

_Always,_

_Clint_

+

June 21

_Clint,_

_The nice old cat and mouse. I’ll see you somewhere in the Swedish country side._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

July 23

_Natasha,_

_I’m going on a dangerous mission, deeply undercover, so I’m telling you in advance that I won’t be sending any letters in the meantime. I’m telling you not to worry. You shouldn’t. I’ll be fine, okay? I’ll be damned if I miss that Christmas. Start at the Asian Country. You know which one I’m talking about. That’s just in case you don’t hear from me for longer than usual. That’s REALLY improbable. Write to you as soon as possible._

_Always,_

_Clint_

+

August 1

_Clint,_

_You better come back home alive, Agent Barton._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

November 18

_Clint,_

_It’s been months, I haven’t heard from you. Are you there?_

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

November 23

_Clint,_

_Come home, you bastard, come home._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

November 30

_Clint,_

_I know this is a little pathetic of me, writing to air, but I think it calms me down to think that you MIGHT be getting these letters. It’s so strange, you not replying, us not talking for this long. I know the rule requires me to wait for a few more months but that was before. That was when NONE OF THIS happened. Now it’s happened. We’ve complicated something that’s already complicated in the first place and it’s terrible. Horrible! I hate it. It’s a weakness I indulged myself in. YOU’RE a weakness I indulge myself in. I wish all these emotions never happened. I wish I never got so emotional…Attached. Because I miss you so much it hurts._

_COME BACK HOME ALIVE._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

December 7

_Clint,_

_I heard you were seen in Germany. But this was just a rumour and not concrete evidence that you’re still alive. Please still be alive._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

+

December 10

_Clint,_

_I put on the Christmas decorations. I’m still holding on to the sliver of hope that you’re still alive because that’s who I am now. I know I don’t have to see the body to know that someone is dead but I know you’re still out there. You’re better than I am even with that stupid bow and those stupid arrows of yours. Now come home with that stupid face of yours and with that stupid grin._

_Yours,_

_Natasha_

_P.S. The others also practically forced themselves to join me for Christmas because, and I quote, “we don’t want you to be alone.” Honestly, I think they just don’t want me to go after you._

+

December 24

_Clint,_

_You promised that you’ll come home for Christmas and you’re still not here. I’m going to hunt you down, Agent Barton, because I can’t sit here idly anymore without_

Natasha whirled around, sensing someone standing behind her trying not to make a sound. She brought her leg up and kicked that person to the ground. Meanwhile her other hand took out the dagger she kept in her other boot – she was ready to go out and find Clint, backpacks, food, clothes, everything – and slammed her knee down on the intruder’s chest. She brought the knife to the neck and when everything went back to their normal speed, when her heart stilled a little bit, she saw him. His eyes stared back at her, betraying no pain.

“Clint.” She gasped, dropping the knife and touching his face with both of her hands. “You’re alive.”

He said nothing and leaned up to kiss her lips. “I told you I’d be home for Christmas.” He chuckled easily, even with Natasha’s knee on his chest. He cupped her face and he could see the tears swimming just below the brim. She swallowed them down and he smiled, after all this time some things couldn’t be changed and he didn’t want them to. She released him and she pushed herself up. He followed not a second later.

“I missed you.” He said, wrapping her in his arms. He was sore and bloodied and bruised. Natasha could pick out injuries all over his body right before he closed in on her. But that didn’t matter. Injuries healed. What mattered was that he came home, alive.

She said nothing. She just leaned her head on his shoulder and hugged him around the waist. And they stayed like that for a long time.

+

The next day, after all of the festivities were out of the way, after the Avengers had their fun, broke some furniture, drank and ate to their hearts’ content, Clint and Natasha sat on the sofa with a bottle of wine getting passed between the two of them. Natasha was curled against Clint’s side, with her legs over his thighs. Clint had her securely wrapped with one arm. They watched the fire as it crackled in the hearth, not bothering to speak because they’ve done all the talking that day.

Clint turned his head and pressed a soft kiss on Natasha’s head as she took another swig of wine. They smiled and she passed the bottle.

“This is very good wine.” He commented after he drank. “Where’d you get it?”

“Somewhere off the coast of Italy.” She answered.

“We should get more.”

“Unfortunately, I raided the last of their stock – I had to blow up the factory.” She shrugged and reached for the bottle. “I think I have two more in the cellar.”

“Why did you have to blow up the place?” He chortled and she felt it vibrate through his body and along her skin. She sighed, realizing that they had two more weeks of this.

“If I told you, then I would have to kill you.” She said.

“I’d like to see you try.”

They passed the wine around until it was all finished and they were tipsy. There was no need for hyper-alert senses. There was no immediate danger. The weapons were stowed and in reach (just in case). But they didn’t have a care in the world. Clint turned on some music and Natasha back flipped off the couch and did a pretend curtsey with her in her pants and turtleneck. Clint bowed like a gentleman and led her in a slow waltz.

They giggled at each other, aware how idiotic and immature they must’ve looked from the outside, dancing around in their cozy home.

They promised each other they’d be home for Christmas. And there they were, holding each other tightly as a new song played on the sound system. Too tired to continue dancing around but lucid enough to stay upright. Natasha wrapped her arms around Clint’s neck and they looked at each other for a long moment. She tiptoed up and kissed him gently, lovingly. And he kissed back, cupping her cheek with one hand and wrapping them together snuggly with the other arm around her waist.

With their backgrounds, the things they’ve done, the things they’ve seen, they wouldn’t have thought that they would find this. To spend a holiday, a mundane holiday, with someone who was a weakness, someone who could be a target, someone they truly, deeply, madly cared about and loved. It was insanity. Why spend a horribly sentimental day with someone who will eventually die or hurt you, trying to make a big deal out of every single thing? The truth of the matter is, when you find the right person to be stupid with, to be disgusting with, to be sentimental with, none of that mattered. What mattered was the person you’re holding onto this Christmas.

Christmas was never more perfect. 


End file.
